I am a zzp'er, am I an entrepreneur?

Running a business as a zzp'er

It is true: if you are a zzp'er, you are an entrepreneur. You run your own business, in other words, are self-employed, without any staff. That's what the abbreviation zzp'er stands for -  zelfstandige zonder personeel. You take on temporary assignments from various clients. Your clients do not hire you as their employee. They pay your invoice.

The only condition is that you do not work as a fake self-employed professional. Schijnzelfstandigheid, false self-employment, means that you take on an assignment as a self-employed person, but under the same conditions as a paid employee. As a zzp'er, you must file an income tax return with the Belastingdienst (Netherlands Tax Administration) and also a VAT return.

No difference between a freelancer and a zzp'er

There is no difference between a zzp'er and a freelancer. They mean the same thing. There are some sectors where it is usual to call yourself a zzp'er, if you are in the construction industry for example. In other sectors, for instance journalism, freelancer is the more widely used term. Either way: if you are a zzp'er or a freelancer, you are an entrepreneur. 

Want to become a zzp’er? Check the steps you need to take.